Dreamweaver CS6 with WordPress

Not much.  Adobe claimed that you can configure Dreamweaver a certain way and use it to provide template/theme editing capability for WordPress.  Problem is the claim doesn't match reality and DW ends up breaking things or, at worst, isn't any better than any other code editor.  The WYSIWYG function is not any better than using Appearance | Customizer in WordPress at this time.

I'm not so concerned about having ability to edit an existing theme.   Guess what I remain hopeful is there exists an stand-alone application like DW or in the old days FrontPage that would allow development that in turn would post process the necessary PHP, CSS, HTML and become a Wordpress theme.  This idea of having to install a plugin for every feature seems like a major overkill.   And having to get under-the-hood to actually write code seems so old-school.   Feel like I should be able to concentrate within a design screen and let the application crunch out all the necessary code.

Well Jason, glad to have a professional clarification on post processing even though a bitter pill.  At least that will stop me from wasting any more time digging.

I read an article the other day from someone (WP purest) who was scolding WP developers about using any more than 5-plugins, otherwise learn to write code.  Most of the reasoning due to all the overhead required for combined number of plugins, ongoing maintenance updates, etc.  Also, he wrote, plugins, like mini-apps, naturally have a lot of code baggage just to provide easy way to add features without having to code by hand.  Again, this was from someone in that perfect world however the project I am about to inherent currently has 32-active plugins and the website does not seem that complicated.  Quite possibly a naive observation.

Another example of bloated code:  when I dig through the various plugins, I see common .js libraries being used.   Not unusual to see 10 active plugins using the same libraries rather than having a central repository.

WP developers about using any more than 5-plugins, otherwise learn to write code.

Well, I'm sure if all the people using WordPress could write their own code, they would :)  That being said, 5 plugins is a little optimistic for most sites.

Most of the reasoning due to all the overhead required for combined number of plugins, ongoing maintenance updates, etc.  Also, he wrote, plugins, like mini-apps, naturally have a lot of code baggage just to provide easy way to add features without having to code by hand.

Yes and no.  There is a bit of hit but that's what caching and optimization are for.

inherent currently has 32-active plugins and the website does not seem that complicated.

Depends on what the plugins are and how they are used.  I've seen sites get away with 10 or fewer and other sites running 50+

Not unusual to see 10 active plugins using the same libraries rather than having a central repository.

This is where WordPress helps, though.  Plugins should be queuing those library calls with wp_enqueue_script() which ensures only one call gets made on the front end.  The plugins themselves don't know what is installed or running, so there is a trade-off made.  The thing is, it works.

The days of letting an application write the code for you from the design screen are mostly dead and gone.

Maybe not.
https://wp-types.com/
http://www.elegantthemes.com/gallery/divi/
http://www.cozmoslabs.com/wck-custom-fields-custom-post-types-plugin/

Thought you wanted to stay away from adding overhead? Those all add extra crap to a WordPress install, including lots of JavaScript and CSS includes.

If plugins or "plugins as themes" are considered to be in the same level as Dreamweaver then my answer has to change out of necessity.

Beaver Builder is an intuitive drag and drop page builder plugin for WordPress that aims to help you build custom websites in minutes not months.

http://www.wpkube.com/drag-drop-page-builder-plugins-build-website-zero-effort/